Exoplanet detection. A terrestrial planet in a ~1-AU orbit around one member of a ~15-AU binary

Using gravitational microlensing, we detected a cold terrestrial planet orbiting one member of a binary star system. The planet has low mass (twice Earth's) and lies projected at ~0.8 astronomical units (AU) from its host star, about the distance between Earth and the Sun. However, the planet's temperature is much lower, <60 Kelvin, because the host star is only 0.10 to 0.15 solar masses and therefore more than 400 times less luminous than the Sun. The host itself orbits a slightly more massive companion with projected separation of 10 to 15 AU. This detection is consistent with such systems being very common. Straightforward modification of current microlensing search strategies could increase sensitivity to planets in binary systems. With more detections, such binary-star planetary systems could constrain models of planet formation and evolution.

Diagnostic value of arterial hematocrits in neonatal polycythemia

In order to study the correlation among arterial, capillary and venous hematocrits, sixty newborn babies delivered in our hospital were chosen after receiving their parents' consents for hematocrits study within their first eight hours of life. The venous hematocrits of them (59.77 +/- 14.15%) correlate with arterial hematocrits (57.84 +/- 14.36%) very well (r = 0.95, p less than 0.001). Whereas, the venous and arterial hematocrits correlate with capillary hematocrits (66.63 +/- 15.56%) also significantly (r = 0.72, p less than 0.001 for both). Arterial hematocrits of more than 62% is proportionate to venous hematocrits of 64% and above. The relationship between arterial and venous hematocrits does not change even after we divide the subjects into those venous hematocrits above 64% and those below 64%. Furthermore, the capillary hematocrits of above 70% can be used as the criteria of polycythemia in the neonatal screening. If the capillary hematocrit is above 70%, then venous hematocrit should be checked for the confirmation of polycythemia.

[Use of flow cytometry in the diagnosis of bladder tumor]

Bladder irrigation specimens from 42 patients, in which 10 cases were benign tumor or bladder inflammation and 32 cases transitional cell carcinoma, were analysed by flow cytometry (FCM). Compared with routine cytological examination, their positive rates were 87.4% and 62.5% respectively. The difference was statistically significant. FCM is more sensitive and specific than the conventional cytology in detection of bladder tumor.

Electron microscopic study of toxicity of intravitreal injections of gentamicin in primates

Seven eyes of four young adult cynomolgus monkeys were injected intravitreally with 0.4 mg of gentamicin. One eye was enucleated after 1 day, and two eyes were enucleated after 1 week, 2 weeks and 1 month. The control eye received an intravitreal injection of 0.1 mL of saline and was enucleated after 1 week. All the eyes underwent electroretinography and ophthalmoscopy before and after treatment. No differences were detected by these techniques or by light and electron microscopy between the experimental eyes and the control.